pure carbon ink

Egypt
7th Century
Source: Ghigo, T., & Albarrán Martínez, M. J. (2021). The practice of writing inside an Egyptian monastic settlement: preliminary material characterisation of the inks used on Coptic manuscripts from the Monastery of Apa Apollo at Bawit. Heritage Science, 9(62).
Recipe Details

Ingredients

soot, charcoal

Preparation Steps

Carbon ink is described as a suspension of soot or charcoal particles, derived from a variety of animal or vegetal precursors, in a water-soluble binder (p. 3). The study notes that carbon-based inks were likely used for ephemeral manuscripts because they were easy to erase by abrasion (p. 1).

Original Recipe Text

Carbon ink is described as a suspension of soot or charcoal particles, derived from a variety of animal or vegetal precursors, in a water-soluble binder (p. 3). The study notes that carbon-based inks were likely used for ephemeral manuscripts because they were easy to erase by abrasion (p. 1).

Evidence

"A group of 8 texts (P.PalauRib. Inv. 367, 376v, 406r, 454 and 460; P.Monts.Roca Inv. 521, 570 and 715) had been written with pure carbon ink."

Remarks

The study reveals that documentary texts were written mostly with carbon-based inks (p. 1). NIRR analysis of P.PalauRib. Inv. 41 and 360 showed no change in opacity, confirming carbon (p. 6).

Scientific Analysis
Chemical CompositionC
Analytical Techniques
XRF
near-infrared reflectography (NIRR)
Certainty Level
Confirmed
Instrumentally Verified
Verified
Metadata
Material Type
ink
Binderwater-soluble binder
Paper TypePapyrus
ColorBlack
RegionEgypt
Approx. Year650
Source Information
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